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UK weather: Britain facing up to two weeks of snow and flood chaos following Storm Clodagh gales

Nearly a month's worth of rain expected in Wales with wintry showers forecast for Scotland and Northern Ireland

A snow plough drives on the single carriageway section of the A9 near Kindallachan, Scotland
A snow plough drives on the single carriageway section of the A9 near Kindallachan, Scotland Credit: Photo: Russel Cheyne

Britain is bracing itself for a bombardment of heavy rain and snow this week as parts of the country remain on flood alert.

Storm Clodagh could drop up to seven inches of snow on Scotland and the north of England according to the Met Office, which has issued a yellow "be aware" warning.

It was also predicted that 60mph winds and up to five inches of rain are primed to descend on the country - and that the harsh weather could last for up to two weeks.

People watch as giant waves crash at the bottom of cliffs near Saltdean as Storm Clodagh batters the East Sussex coast

The Met Office has forecast up to a month's worth of rain lashing down on Wales in the next few days alone as it revealed the country's average rainfall in November was 6.3 inches.

"We're going to see three-quarters of that fall in just one or two days," said forecaster Marco Petagna.

He added: "It is generally going to remain unsettled across the UK over the next couple of days."

Weather Network meteorologist Tiffany Curnick said:"Though Storm Clodagh has started to move on we are looking at some very unsettled weather over the next week due to weather systems moving in from the Atlantic.

"It is worth keeping an eye on the weather warnings as we are likely to see gale-force winds. The the worst of the rain will be in the north and the west, and Scotland may well continue to see snow in the high ground.

"Based on our December forecast you could expect those adverse conditions to continue for the next fortnight. The weather could turn even colder in weeks three and four."

Most of the snow which has already fallen affected Northern Ireland Scotland, with wintry showers and snowfall dusting the country's highest peaks.

Forecasters have also warned of yet more snow across Northern Ireland as police warned drivers of hazardous conditions and urged them to take greater care on the roads.

Waves crash against the harbour wall in Porthcawl, South Wales

Meanwhile, the blustery weather has ruined Christmas lights events across the UK, with switch-on ceremonies in several towns being called off due to Storm Clodagh.

They include Manchester's Christmas market, with parts of the city centre closed off for safety reasons as strong winds swept across the area.

Local authorities Kilmarnock, Stoke, Maidenhead, Lichfield and Gosport also saw their Christmas events ruined by the apalling weather.

 

There were also reports of "squalls of rain" and heavy winds forcing officials in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland, to abandon their Christmas market as the stalls were being battered by the gusts.

A satellite image showing precipitation over the UK. Blue shows rain, red shows snow, and grey shows a risk of snow, as Storm Clodagh makes its way to Britain

Storm Clodagh brought gales of 70mph on Sunday, leading to fallen trees and travel disruption across the UK.

The Met Office has warned of a risk of "localised disruption to travel" today due to wind speeds.

Despite the wind and rain, southern parts of the UK will see reasonably mild temperatures for the time of year, Mr Petagna said.

He said: "It's quite unusual to see such a big contrast across the UK for this time of year.

"We're likely to see temperatures down to 3C (37.4F) in northern parts, which is below the average for this time, while southern parts could see highs of 13C (55.4F), which is quite mild."